In conventional manufacturing, work pieces typically are secured to a surface or fixture to allow cutting elements, such as mills, to accurately remove material from the work piece and shape the work piece into a final product. Various support platforms, such as work benches, are suitable to serve as the support platform. The support platform serves to provide a solid base against which the cutting element may apply pressure to the work piece and also provides a foundation for dimensional consistency. To secure the work piece to the support platform, clamping devices are employed which extend from the support platform, around a side of the work piece and apply pressure to an upper surface of the work piece opposite the support platform. As a result, the clamp presses the work piece against the support platform to allow the cutting elements to proceed in machining areas of the work piece which are not obstructed by the clamping element.
While this clamping method effectively secures the work piece to the support platform, the positioning of the clamps many times obstructs the cutting elements access to the work piece and thereby renders machining difficult. As a result, the work piece must be continuously unclamped and reclamped in different areas to allow access to the previously obstructed areas. This causes increased manufacturing cost and time. The present invention was developed in light of these drawbacks.